Church News for the week beginning 10th January

OUR BIBLE TALK

This week Jodie is back and speaking in a one-off sermon on the topic of ‘Goodness‘ and answering your questions about all sorts of issues.

SUMMER YOUTH HANGOUTS

16th JanuaryBeach Day! Bring your swimmers & towels and join us for some beach games and water fun.
21st January – Outdoor Movie! Movie suggestions welcome as we get ready for a night under the stars.
Contact Rayne for more details.

SUMMER YOUTH CAMP

Our youth are heading off to Burrill Pines for our kickoff camp on 29-31 January, the first weekend of Term One! Put the date in your diary, ask all your friends, and get ready for an awesome weekend of growing together in God. Register now using the link on our website.

AUSTRALIA DAY

The Smith’s are hosting their annual Australia Day at the dam again! Come and spend a day swimming, jumping and eating with good company at the Smith’s farm, 261 Jamberoo Mountain Road. Bring all your goodies for a BBQ picnic lunch and a sun shelter if you have one.

MORNING PRAYER IN RECESS

For the next few weeks we’re having a break from our daily morning prayer on Zoom, but we’d love you to join us in the new year when we begin again.

MISSION OF THE MONTH

Our mission of the month is Gafcon. To support this great ministry, buy and donate from the mission table in the hall.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

To watch videos of our Bible talks and other memories of our church, visit youtube.jamberooanglican.com and be sure to subscribe to our channel!

FAMILY NEWS

BIRTHDAYS
11th Luke Warner
13th Debra Baker

GIVING UPDATE

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5882.00, leaving a gap of $418.00. Olimometer 2.52 Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $245,700. Compared to that total we received $221,466, leaving a gap of $24,234.Olimometer 2.52

Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Jamberoo Anglican Church. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562.

To give to our tax-deductible MTS Scholars Fund to support our youth ministry, head to mts.com.au/give/jamberoo-anglican-church/

Coming up this weekend 9-10 January 2021

This weekend Jodie is back and speaking in a one off sermon on 1 Peter chapter three about how ‘God is good‘.

To catch up on previous sermons, head to our Youtube channel youtube.jamberooanglican.com.

If you have any questions simply fill out a response slip during the service, email us at office@jamberooanglican.com or send an SMS to 0439 890 086. This week Jodie is answering the following questions:

1 How does pouring water on a baby in baptism declare that salvation is by faith not works?
2 If animals cannot receive the Holy Spirit, then can they go to Heaven?
3 How can Psalm 40 be about Jesus when verse 12 says, “my sins pile up so high”?
4 Why does Jesus kill the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22?
5 Is the fruit in John 15:1-8 the fruit of the Spirit?
6 Did Jesus come as a baby because he wasn’t already a human in Heaven?
7 Since Jesus didn’t sin as a baby, would he have had tantrums?
8 As a child or teenager, could Jesus have chosen not to be our saviour?

Join us on Saturday at 5pm where we will have fellowship over dinner afterwards, or Sunday at 9am followed by morning tea and tasty espresso! Our kids program is currently on pause for the duration of the summer holidays, however the creche and hall are available for the kids to still play together! Our service is live streamed to the TV in the creche room so you don’t miss a beat.

If you can’t make it in person, head to watch.jamberooanglican.com to watch our livestream.

Church News for the week beginning 3rd January 2021

OUR BIBLE TALK

This week Graham Errington speaks to us from Luke chapter two about ‘Jesus’ First Words‘.

SUMMER YOUTH CAMP

Our youth are heading off to Burrill Pines for our kickoff camp on 29-31 January, the first weekend of Term One! Put the date in your diary, ask all your friends, and get ready for an awesome weekend of growing together in God.

MORNING PRAYER IN RECESS

For the next few weeks we’re having a break from our daily morning prayer on Zoom, but we’d love you to join us in the new year when we begin again.

MISSION OF THE MONTH

Our mission of the month is Gafcon. To support this great ministry, buy and donate from the mission table in the hall.

FIT FOR PURPOSE

What’s blue, has four wheels and does at least 5 kph? The church ride on mower! To have a go, turn up on Wednesday 8am till around 10.30 and help out with mowing and other maintenance jobs around our property. Speak to Graham 0430 043 765

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

To watch videos of our Bible talks and other memories of our church, visit youtube.jamberooanglican.com and be sure to subscribe to our channel!

FAMILY NEWS

BIRTHDAYS
2nd Micah Gibson
7th Oscar McNeill

ANNIVERSARIES
8th Peter & Annette Gibson

GIVING UPDATE

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5882.00, leaving a gap of $418.00. Olimometer 2.52 Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $245,700. Compared to that total we received $221,466, leaving a gap of $24,234.Olimometer 2.52

Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Jamberoo Anglican Church. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562.

To give to our tax-deductible MTS Scholars Fund to support our youth ministry, head to mts.com.au/give/jamberoo-anglican-church/

Church News for the week beginning 27th December 2020

OUR BIBLE TALK

This week Graham Errington speaks to us from Luke chapter two about ‘Departing in Peace‘.

NORMAL CHURCH ON 26TH & 27TH

Even though today is Boxing Day, we’d still love you to spend your Saturday night with us at church at 5pm tonight. We’ll also have a normal church at 9am on Sunday 27th. See you then!

SUMMER YOUTH CAMP

Our youth are heading off to Burrill Pines for our kickoff camp on 29-31 January, the first weekend of Term One next year! Put the date in your diary, ask all your friends, and get ready for an awesome weekend of growing together in God.

MORNING PRAYER IN RECESS

For the next few weeks we’re having a break from our daily morning prayer on Zoom, but we’d love you to join us in the new year when we begin again.

MISSION OF THE MONTH

Our mission of the month is SRE. To support this great ministry, buy and donate from the mission table in the hall.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

To watch videos of our Bible talks and other memories of our church, visit youtube.jamberooanglican.com and be sure to subscribe to our channel!

FAMILY NEWS

BIRTHDAYS
2nd Micah Gibson

GIVING UPDATE

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5882.00, leaving a gap of $418.00. Olimometer 2.52 Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $245,700. Compared to that total we received $221,466, leaving a gap of $24,234.Olimometer 2.52

Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Jamberoo Anglican Church. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562.

To give to our tax-deductible MTS Scholars Fund to support our youth ministry, head to mts.com.au/give/jamberoo-anglican-church/

The Ultimate Wreath

What’s round and goes on people’s front doors at Christmas? A Christmas wreath.

It’s a circle of flowers, leaves and twigs that form a ring.

Christmas wreaths are normally made of evergreen plants to represent everlasting life.

We also use wreaths when we remember people who have died, like when we lay a wreath on Anzac Day at a war memorial.

In the ancient world, wreaths were often used as a crown.

Back at the original Olympic Games, the wreath was used instead of medal to symbolise victory.

Did you know that Jesus wore a wreath as a crown? 

He had a crown that showed victory.

But his crown wasn’t made of evergreen plants, like a Christmas wreath.

And his crown wasn’t made of laurel like an Olympic wreath.

His crown was made of thorns.

As he died on the cross, people mocked him by placing a thorny crown on his head.

This is the ultimate wreath.

Because the way that we get the everlasting life of the evergreen Christmas wreath is from the death of the thorny Easter wreath… the crown of Christ Jesus.

God showed his love to us by sending his Son, Jesus, to be born at Christmas, and to die at Easter.

The father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.

And he sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)

Is 2020 the year for you to put your trust in Jesus, and find certainty for eternity?

Is this the Christmas to trust in Christ Jesus as your personal saviour?

JODIE McNEILL

The Weary World Rejoices – Christmas Eve Carols 2020

JOY TO THE WORLD

1. Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing

2. Joy to the earth the Saviour reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

3. No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as, the curse is found

4. He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love

CCLI Song # 24016 George Frideric Handel | Isaac Watts © Words: Public Domain Music: Public Domain CCLI Licence # 240149

BIBLE READING: Luke 2:8-14

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognise him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

1. Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

2. Oh shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

3. Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord the newborn King
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

CCLI Song # 3196504 James Chadwick Public Domain CCLI Licence # 240149

BIBLE READING – Luke 2:15-20

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

SILENT NIGHT

1. Silent night holy night
All is calm all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

2. Silent night holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heav’nly hosts sing alleluia
Christ the Saviour is born
Christ the Saviour is born

3. Silent night holy night
Son of God love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord at Thy birth
Jesus Lord at Thy birth

4. Silent night holy night
Wondrous star lend thy light
With the angels let us sing
Alleluia to our King
Christ the Saviour is born
Christ the Saviour is born

CCLI Song # 27862 Franz Xaver Gruber | John Freeman Young | Joseph Mohr  © Words: Public Domain, Music: Public Domain, CCLI Licence # 240149

THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS GIFT

Whatta you want to get this year for Christmas?
What do you want beneath that Christmas tree?
What do you want stuffed in that Christmas stocking? 
What’s the greatest Christmas gift that there could be?

1. Is it a smart phone?
Or maybe a flying drone?
Or nice new clothes and matching pairs of shoes?
Is it a new pet?
Some sort of sports set?
Or something you’ve been wishing for 
And dreaming of all year?

Whatta you want to get this year for Christmas?
What do you want beneath that Christmas tree?
What do you want stuffed in that Christmas stocking? 
What’s the greatest Christmas gift that there could be?

2. Well is it a bike to ride?
Some sort of super slide?
Or something that you like that’s really cool?
One of those action toys?
Does it make a lot of noise?
Have you made yourself a little list
And checked it once or twice?

Whatta you want to get this year for Christmas?
What do you want beneath that Christmas tree?
What do you want stuffed in that Christmas stocking? 
What’s the greatest Christmas gift that there could be?

3. What if God gave us
A King to save us
And forgave us for all our sin and greed
Well that’s what he’s done
By sending his own son
For unto us a child is born to us a son is given 

Jesus is the greatest gift at Christmas
You won’t find him underneath that Christmas tree 
Cos most of all our sinners need a saviour
Come see the greatest Christmas gift
Look to Jesus Christ and live,
Jesus is the greatest gift that there could ever be.

CCLI Song # 4829519 Colin Buchanan © 2005 Wanaaring Road Music CCLI Licence # 240149

CHRIST THE KING OF CHRISTMAS

Let your love show ho ho
Let your faith grow ho ho
That everyone will know
Christ the King of Christmas

1. Let the Christmas tree remind you
Of the one who trusts the Lord
Who walks the path of godliness
And loves to hear God’s word
Pray that as you grow up
That’s just how you will be
Standing tall for Jesus
Like the Christmas tree

Let your love show ho ho
Let your faith grow ho ho
That everyone will know
Christ the King of Christmas

2. Well let the fairy lights remind you
Of that bright and shining star
Spotted by the wise men
Who travelled from afar
They gave Jesus all their treasures
And then they worshiped Him that night
Let your worship of King Jesus
Shine like fairy lights

Let your love show ho ho
Let your faith grow ho ho
That everyone will know
Christ the King of Christmas

3. Well let the candy cane remind you
Of God’s amazing grace
Red the blood of Jesus
As He suffered in our place
White the full forgiveness
Won as Jesus rose again
You can tell your friends the gospel
With a candy cane

Let your love show ho ho
Let your faith grow ho ho
That everyone will know
Christ the King of Christmas

4. Well let all the gifts at Christmas time
Fill your heart with praise
To God for all His goodness
Shown in O so many ways
That everyday in everyway
We’d be completely His
Give your life to Jesus
As a Christmas gift

Let your love show ho ho
Let your faith grow ho ho
That everyone will know
Christ the King of Christmas

CCLI Song # 4829100 Colin Buchanan © 2005 Wanaaring Road Music CCLI Licence # 240149

BIBLE READING – 1 John 4:9-10, 14-16

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. 

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

O HOLY NIGHT

1. O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
‘Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born

2. Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains He shall break
For the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy Name

Christ is the Lord
O praise His Name forever
His power and glory
Evermore, evermore proclaim
His power and glory
Evermore, evermore proclaim

Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night O night divine

CCLI Song # 7095544 Dylan Thomas | John Sullivan Dwight | Michael Guy Chislett | Placide Cappeau © Words: Public Domain Music: Public Domain CCLI Licence # 240149

BIBLE READING – Matthew 11:28-30

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

O COME ALL YOU UNFAITHFUL

1. O come all you unfaithful
Come weak and unstable
Come know you are not alone

2. O come barren and waiting ones
Weary of praying
Come see what your God has done

Christ is born Christ is born
Christ is born for you

3. O come bitter and broken
Come with fears unspoken
Come taste of His perfect love

4. O come guilty and hiding ones
There is no need to run
See what your God has done

Christ is born Christ is born
Christ is born for you

He’s the Lamb who was given slain for our pardon
His promise is peace for those who believe
He’s the Lamb who was given slain for our pardon
His promise is peace for those who believe

5. So come though you have nothing
Come He is the offering
Come see what your God has done

Christ is born Christ is born
Christ is born for you
Christ is born Christ is born
Christ is born for you

CCLI Song # 7160115 Bob Kauflin | Lisa Clow © 2020 Sovereign Grace Praise (Admin. by SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia) CCLI Licence # 240149

JESUS SAVES

1. The world belongs to God
He spoke and there it was
Though it was very good
It all went bad because
The man that God had made
And the woman there with him
Turned their back on God to get
A deadly taste of sin (But)

Jesus saves Jesus saves
Jesus is the Way
Jesus is the Saviour
You can come to Him today hey
Jesus saves Jesus saves
People from their sin
You will find forgiveness
When you put your trust in Him

2. Well if you look around
You’ll see how sin has spread
Turning light to dark
And living things to dead
But God still rules the world
He always had a plan
To send His Son to save us
In the likeness of a man

Jesus saves Jesus saves
Jesus is the Way
Jesus is the Saviour
You can come to Him today hey
Jesus saves Jesus saves
People from their sin
You will find forgiveness
When you put your trust in Him

3. Well if you come to God
(You still have time you know)
He’ll wash your sinful heart
And make it white as snow
Come taste eternal life
And death will have no sting
All who trust in Jesus are
The children of the King

Jesus saves Jesus saves
Jesus is the Way
Jesus is the Saviour
You can come to Him today hey
Jesus saves Jesus saves
People from their sin
You will find forgiveness
When you put your trust in Him

CCLI Song # 4998488 Colin Buchanan | James Pierpont © Words: 2004 Wanaaring Road Music Music: Public Domain CCLI Licence # 240149

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Our Christmas Day service is at 9am
Normal services 5pm Saturday and 9am Sunday

Coming up this weekend 26-27 December

This weekend we hear Graham Errington speak from Luke 2 about ‘Departing in Peace‘.
Tomorrow night are our Christmas Eve services! Book your free tickets through our website so that we can stay COVID-Safe and join us at 5:30pm or 7:30pm on Christmas Eve for a night of carols and praise, with a free sausage sizzle! We also have a special morning service on Christmas Day at 9am and would love for you to be with us.

To catch up on previous sermons, head to our Youtube channel youtube.jamberooanglican.com.

If you have any questions simply fill out a response slip during the service, email us at office@jamberooanglican.com or send an SMS to 0439 890 086 and Jodie would love to answer them.

Join us on Saturday at 5pm where we will have fellowship over dinner afterwards, or Sunday at 9am followed by morning tea and tasty espresso! We have a kids program at both services and would love for you to be in fellowship with us.

If you can’t make it in person, head to watch.jamberooanglican.com to watch our livestream.

Church News for the week beginning 20th December

OUR BIBLE TALK

This week Jodie speaks to us from Psalm 40 of God’s word about ‘Waiting for the Lord‘.

SINGING AND SEATS

We’re now permitted to sing at church! Praise the Lord! We can also seat up to 68 people in church so we shouldn’t need a video overflow in the hall. The mask recommendations are the same as previous weeks, so you are welcome to wear one if you’d prefer (and you can grab one of ours at the welcome desk if you’d like one).

CHURCHILL CAROLS

Join us on Christmas Eve for ‘Churchill Carols’, as we bring our village and valley together on our church lawn for two, identical carol services (with free sausage sizzle) at 5:30pm and 7:30pm on 24th December. Free tickets must be booked online at www.jamberooanglican.com to help keep us Covid-safe. Spots are booking fast, so don’t miss out.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Join us on Christmas Day for a special service at 9am in the church. All welcome, and no tickets required!

NORMAL CHURCH ON 26TH & 27TH

Even though it’s Boxing Day, we’d still love you to spend your Saturday night with us at church at 5pm Saturday 26th. We’ll also have a normal church at 9am on Sunday 27th. See you then!

SUMMER YOUTH CAMP

Our youth are heading off to Burrill Pines for our kickoff camp on 29-31 January, the first weekend of Term One next year! Put the date in your diary, ask all your friends, and get ready for an awesome weekend of growing together in God.

MORNING PRAYER DAILY

Join us for Morning Prayer at 7am every morning (except Sunday) at zoom.jamberooanglican.com for a half-hour of prayer and Bible reading.

MISSION OF THE MONTH

Our mission of the month is SRE. To support this great ministry, buy and donate from the mission table in the hall.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

To watch videos of our Bible talks and other memories of our church, visit youtube.jamberooanglican.com and be sure to subscribe to our channel!

FAMILY NEWS

BIRTHDAYS
25th Bob Foggo

GIVING UPDATE

Each week we need to receive $6300.00 in order to meet our commitments. In the last calendar month, our average weekly giving was $5882.00, leaving a gap of $418.00. Olimometer 2.52 Up to the end of the last calendar month we needed to have received $245,700. Compared to that total we received $221,466, leaving a gap of $24,234.Olimometer 2.52

Electronic giving is a great way to give! It helps us prayerfully plan our giving, and then the bank will help us keep that commitment, even when we may be unable to attend. To give by direct transfer then these are the details. Account name: Jamberoo Anglican Church. Account number: 10081274. BSB: 062562.

To give to our tax-deductible MTS Scholars Fund to support our youth ministry, head to mts.com.au/give/jamberoo-anglican-church/

The Weary World Rejoices

I’m surprised how many people tell me that 2020 has made them tired.

After all, weren’t we supposed to have had lots of time off in ‘lockdown’?

But the truth is that with all of the uncertainty and stress of this year, it’s made it difficult to have good rest.

The good news is that even though we might be weary, we are invited to find rest in Jesus.

This Thursday night at our Christmas Eve carols our theme is ‘The Weary World Rejoices’… a line from the wonderful hymn, ‘O Holy Night’ that we plan to sing, together.

It is a wonderful phrase that captures the sense of relief that we can experience as we come to Jesus, who at the first Christmas, came to us.

But the relief from our weariness comes more than just rest: it comes from forgiveness and hope, as the original lyrics capture:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

As our world struggles through this pandemic, the light of the hope of the coming of the Lord shines even brighter.

In our weariness, we have the hope of the life that is to come, but more than that… we can have the certainty of our forgiveness and our right relationship with our creator, who loves us and gave himself for us.

That is the miracle of Christmas: that our judge would be our saviour… and that it came through his condescension into our world as a man who would die for his creatures.

Which means that the right response is genuine worship:

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;

Because of the first Christmas, the weary in our world who trust in Christ can finally rejoice because of the life he gives us through his death for us.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo credit: Varvara via Flickr)

We can sing!

One of the things I’ll tell my grandchildren about 2020 will be that we were not allowed to sing in church!

From so many aspects of the management of this pandemic, we have grown in our appreciation for the activities that have been restricted for the sake of the health of others.

The reason that it’s been so hard and weird not to sing is that God’s people are singing people… we’ve done it since the start of time, and it’s something we find it almost impossible to stop.

One time in the Bible when God’s people found it too hard to sing was when they’d been dragged out of Jerusalem into Babylon:

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!” But how can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a pagan land? (Psalm 137:1-4)

Yet the next Psalm expressed what it was like when singing was a natural part of church life for God’s people:

I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honour of your name. (Psalm 138:1-2)

We are truly blessed to be now allowed to gather in good number for church, and we are doubly blessed to now be able to sing.

May we never take for granted the joy and blessing of singing together, as we put to music what our hearts long to express about the greatness of our Lord.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo Credit: Tony Stewart via Flickr)